Last Updated: 04/06/2024

Last week I got an email from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DOFAAT) asking if my passport was still current.. It was a bit of surprise to be honest because, if they don’t know if my current passport is still valid, it makes you wonder what are we paying these people for?!? So I clicked on the link, and it asks me for an email and my password for my AusPassport account..

What tha??? If I do have a password for the DOFAAT site, the last time I used it was probably ten years ago, so yes, I have no idea of what the password could be..

But fear not as they have a nice 7 steps guide, where it tells you what to do.. Unfortunately none of those 7 step do apply to a simple passport renewal, the original reason of the email received.. That is a bit of a worry, but government agency are well known for not having the best or more functional website around.. While in there, I decided to check what does it cost for a passport these days..

 

I don’t remember what I paid last time, but I clearly remember abusing the lady behind the counter for charging me around the $220 for the new passport! I also remember when the passport for an underage child was free.. What is happening here? It is all well for a person that do travel all year around as it makes only $30 dollars per year. But for the majority of people that’s not the case, as they may get to use the passport once or twice in the ten years period. That would make it $150 per trip and if by mistake you waited the last minute to apply for the passport (as the majority of people do) you need to add another $220 dollars (priority processing) to the top of the $301.. That’s a wopping $260 per trip..

$521 for a passport in a rush… That’s just unbelievable!!!

What I found to be the most insulting part of the DOFAAT website is the last section of the fees page where it clearly state:

I have a Senior’s Card. Can I get a concessional passport?

If you’re 75 or over, you can opt for a five-year passport at half the cost of a standard 10-year passport.

That’s not a concession, you bastards! That’s half an apple at half the cost of the full apple! Shame on you DOFAAT!!!

So just to make my point that we are indeed getting raped by those ridiculous fees here is the comparison with other random countries:

 

England

So £95 ($170.36 AUD) for an English passport

 

USA

Is in PDF, however the passport cost is $145 USD ($187.16 AUD)

 

Italy

In Italy, you pay €116 ($178.11 AUD) for a new electronic passport (same as the AUS one)

 

New Zealand

Even our neighbour New Zealand only charges $191 NZD ($177.26 AUD) for a passport..

There you have it. Once again for some unknown obscure and unjustified reason, the people in the “lucky country” are taken for a very expensive ride… As usual, most people will just turn a blind eye on it and finish the day with “she will be right”.. Yeah, right up your bum, by the looks…

Like Baldrick always used to say: “Unbelievable… Bloody unbelievable..” The question here is: Are you going to pay the $301 to renew your passport?? Or are you going to ask for an explanation of why?

Is getting worse by the day…